Euphoria in South London: Eagles are going for European glory
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 08.05.26. | 10:01
Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 in the return leg of the UEFA Conference League semi-finals and reached their first-ever European trophy match
The first leg played at neutral ground in Krakow, Poland, when Crystal Palace easily brushed aside the Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1, hinted at the outcome that was confirmed last night at Selhurst Park with another Eagles' triumph - Oliver Glasner's team will play in the UEFA Conference League final!
Last season, the Austrian tactician brought the club from South London its maiden trophy (the FA Cup). This season, Palace has already won the Community Shield, and on May 27 in Leipzig, they'll chase their third piece of silverware in the club's 120-year history.
Crystal Palace are in a European final. pic.twitter.com/MukpwIVgag
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 7, 2026
What makes this success even more outstanding is the fact that this has been the Eagles maiden European campaign and they reached the final right away!
Given the 3-1 advantage they had from the previous week, Palace weren't as dominant as in the first leg, but still recorded another victory - 2-1.
Crystal Palace walifuzu fainali yao ya kwanza kabisa kwenye mashindano ya Europa. Waliwapiga Shakhtar 5-2 (AGG). pic.twitter.com/dl1mNMJJGO
— Mozzart Bet Kenya (@mozzartbetkenya) May 8, 2026
Yeremy Pino's 10th-minute opener was disallowed for offside, but a quarter of an hour later, the home team broke the deadlock. The visitors' keeper Dmytro Riznyk denied Adam Wharton's long-range effort, before Daniel Munoz crossed the rebound into the box, where the ball deflected off the unlucky Pedro Henrique and into the net.
Nine minutes later, Shakhtar equalized through Eguinaldo, whose precise strike came after another goalmouth scramble.
That goal rekindled the visitors' hope that they could pull off a miracle in the English capital, but Ismaila Sarr's goal in the 52nd minute sealed the Donetsk side's fate and secured Palace's victory.
In the final, the Eagles will face Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, which defeated French team Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate.
UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE - SEMI-FINALS
Return leg
Thursday
Crystal Palace - Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 (1-1)
/Henrique 25 og, Sarr 52 - Eguinaldo 34/
Crystal Palace win 5-2 on aggregate
Strasbourg - Rayo Vallecano 0-1 (0-1)
/Alemao 42/
Rayo Vallecano win 2-0 on aggregate